Hoenn - Unlimited
by Crystar500
Summary: Brendan finds himself within the Hoenn region after moving from Unova, and dabbles in the opportunity to become like his father. However, Hoenn remains a fighting ground for factions behind the scenes... A rewrite of the Hoenn storyline for a teen/adult audience. Simultaneous to Kanto-Unlimited.
1. Departure

The girl leaned on the railing on the northernmost part of the pier. Clad in black jeans and a white jacket, she was the only soul on the pier that night. The ships on either side of the pier were docked for the night, with the sailors already gone home. It was her favorite time of night on her favorite type of day - a sky that was clear with stars and a moon that shone bright in it's reflection on the ocean blue. The moonlight also hit her long, black hair at just the right angle for a stunning effect.

It was certainly stunning in her childhood friend's eyes. He stood behind her, clad in his knit hat and new trainer's uniform. Supposedly it was a Hoenn fashion trend. At least that's what he told her. He knew something was wrong. She'd always come here on nights she felt disturbed or upset. Sometimes he'd spend them with her. "You know, it's better if you talk about it." He said to her, shoveling his hands inside his pants pockets.

The girl, although surprised he was there, closed her eyes shut for a few moments. "I'm sorry. You know me all too well, I guess." She replied when she finally opened them. She paid much attention to detail, and her eyelashes were the pretty type that got her childhood friend those butterflies in the stomach.

He nodded his head. "Yeah." He took a slow walk over to stand beside her, with his hands still shoveled in his pockets. "Hey. I know why you're upset. You can't feel bad about something you can't control, Grace. I don't even have control over it."

"You have control over a lot of things." She gave him a smile. She slid her hand on the side of his cheek. He was warm, despite the cool weather.

He chuckled. "No, no. Now's not the time to flirt, Grace." With what he said there, Grace pulled away her hand and the two shared an awkward silence for a few moments before he broke the ice once again. "I'll come and visit one day, you know..."

"I wish it didn't have to be this way. I don't think I can bear to lose a friend." Grace replied, shaking her head in disbelief.

He sighed. "I know. I'll miss you. If it was up to me, I'd stay here in Castelia, but Dad wants to move somewhere more rural, and Hoenn was the right place. Plus, he - "

"I know the details already." Grace frowned as she cut him off. "Just... remember me, okay?" She looked up into his eyes. The clear, mysterious gray color of her eyes just made the butterflies worse for him.

"Uh... yeah. Of course I will. We'll keep in touch, right? Through email?" He gave her a reassuring smile. He was blushing, and it was noticeable.

"That's not the same..." Grace looked down at the concrete ground of the pier. The two both frowned and darted their eyes away from one another, with yet another deafening awkward silence.

"Oh, right! I got this for you!" Grace looked up at her friend's now excited expression. He dug through his pocket, taking a metal chain out from his pocket. He held it up from his finger on his right hand and set the chain down in his left hand. It was a small silver chain, with a black and white yin-yang symbol attached to it. "There. I think it suits you." He reached over, unattaching the chain and reattaching it once he placed it around her neck. "Perfect fit." He said, looking her over once it was on.

Grace turned red. "I... love it! The moonlight is shining on it!" She gasped in excitement. She looked happy for a few moments, twirling the little symbol of the necklace with her fingers. It didn't last long, and she turned sad again a few moments later. "Oh... but I have nothing to give you. I'll always remember you from the chain, but how will you remember me?"

Her friend shook his head. "No thanks. I appreciate it, but I really don't need anything from you, honest." He ran a nervous hand through her long hair. He had gotten up the courage to look her straight in the eyes.

Grace blushed a deep red. She hesitated a few moments. After thinking it over, she pulled his head towards her, letting her lips meets his in a gentle kiss. He was in shock, but only closed his eyes. It was just as he imagined it would be.

After their romantic moment that lasted for about a few minutes, they both pulled away to catch their breath. They both smiled at each other. Everything was quiet once again until he decided to say, "Yeah. I think I'll remember that."

The two both shared a small laugh. "I'll... see you around, then." Grace said with a nod. The words were even more painful after they both confirmed their romance.

"Yeah... I'll see you around. I'll be sure to email you as soon as I'm there, alright? I have to go get my rest now." He was was stepping backwards slowly, wanting to hear her answer before he finally left.

Grace smiled and nodded, the moonlight making her hair shine once again. "Good luck, Brendan."

* * *

_Welcome to Hoenn! This is just the preview and start of a great adventure!_


	2. Arrival

[Brendan]

The time is here and now, as the beautiful Spring weather of the Hoenn region made itself prevalent. The air was ripe, giving the establishment for a wonderful time to be alive. Pokemon chirped and yelped out of glee, for life was comfortable. Clouds emanated into fluffy white cotton balls within the sky, a wonderful impression of their humble drifting. This fine weather was accompanied by the vastly clear blue skies, which served as a backdrop, one which contrasted Brendan's original view of his hometown. The young teen jumped down from the back of his moving van rather casually, astonished by the delightful atmosphere he was treated to. Indeed a contrast from the bright lights and skyscrapers of Castelia City.

The generous young man he was, he had offered to ride in the back of the moving van. He wished not for his mother to suffer through the bumpy ride in the back. His mother and the driver sat in the front of the van, which was a rather small interior of just two people. Their van was a day behind Norman, the beloved father and husband of their tiny family. Norman had to leave much earlier, as to assume the urgent need for a gym leader in Petalburg City. After seeking for what seemed to be years for an excuse to part ways with the bright city lights, Norman quickly accepted. He arrived in Hoenn a day prior to the rest of his family, where as the gentleman he was, did most of the heavy-lifting in regards to setting up the home's furniture. All that was needed now was Norman's family to bring themselves, along with their valuables of course.

"Isn't it wonderful, Brendan?" Brendan's mother had caught his attention, snapping her son out of his envelopment into the local scenery. She was always a rather humble woman - the stereotypical housewife if you will. The type of woman that preferred staying indoors, preferred cooking, preferred the occasional knitting, but most of all, indebted herself to caring for her family. She was always one for a casual outfit, shown via her pink blouse, paired with a beige skirt. We shall deem her "Sandra". "Hoenn is such a beautiful place indeed." Sandra's voice featured sweetness in its tone, giving a calming sensation to its recipient.

The young teen that we shall deem Brendan, was one of a purified soul. He was raised by two wonderful personalities in their own right, and was the combination of their best sides. This notion was what Norman made sure Brendan held since birth, and what molded Brendan into being the delightful, laid-back soul he was. He took a long breath inwards, taking in the crisp Hoenn air. He was rather surprised at the result. The air was different! Cleaner, fresher! Perhaps it was simply new. "Yeah, it's amazing!" He replied, patting down his newly acquired trainer's jacket. He did the same to his shorts as well. The new outfit felt rather awkward, but Brendan felt it was a valiant attempt to mimic Hoenn fashion trends.

"And you get your own room too!" His mother added with a cheerful grin.

Brendan shook his head and chuckled. "Mom, I totally had my own room back in Castelia!" Much to form, Brendan hadn't lost his Unovian accent, as he pronounced "Castelia" much differently - instead uttering "Cawstelia."

Sandra rolled her eyes. "Oh, please." She said with a laugh. "Did you really think the loft you called home was a room? It was cozy, yes, but it wasn't nearly as good as a room." Leaving her song got only look down with a shake of his head, Sandra sighed, as she hearkened back to her son's childhood. "Oh, how I remember the days you spent in that loft. You and Grace would spend hours on end in that small space, playing games and enjoying that view you were able to have with that tiny window..." Sandra sighed once more, the indications of why unclear. A mix of emotions, indeed. Perhaps her son grew too fast. Perhaps Grace was like a daughter to her. Perhaps she felt bad her son had to part ways with his long-time friend. Yet, all these reasons were not available for resolving, and shall be that way forevermore.

Brendan's eyes shot open, his eyebrows raised in amazement. "Grace... Grace!" He clasped his mother's shoulders, shaking her vigorously a moment. "I forgot about Grace!" He shouted the name once more, letting the letters roll off his tongue, for he felt the fluttering of Butterfrees within his veins as he spoke the name. And without further haste, the teen bolted inside the new home, almost knocking the wooden front door off its hinges with the force he knocked it with. Up the stairs he ran, pushing his way into the bedroom door that waited at the end of the steps. He then entered inside, looking around in a frantic haze. "Oh, yes! He listened!" He exclaimed, upon a brief scan of the room.

Norman had been given a direct command by his son, as his son's only request upon moving. Brendan wanted his father to set up his computer. Norman did more than just that, arranging the room properly. He gifted his son a brand new clock, which he nailed to the wall adjust to the right of the computer desk in the top-right corner of the room. Down in the bottom-right was Brendan's new bed, though just the mattress was set up for now. And in the left side against the wall, Brendan's TV set. Brendan immediately sat at the computer desk, turning the computer on. "Grace, Grace, Grace..." The name rattled his brain and pierced his soul. It was his first order of business on Hoenn soil, after all.

Brendan soon found himself logged into his email inbox, where he hastily clicked the big red "Compose" button. He then began to type his good wishes towards his friend back home.

"I just arrived here in Hoenn today. I'm missing you already, and I just got here! You're the first person I thought of, so it's a relief to finally message you. Hopefully all is well over there? You were telling me about the Tao trio sometime before I left. Any progress on that? And remember, Grace, float like a Butterfree and sting like a Beedrill."

And thus, Brendan hit the "Send" button with utmost confidence. He felt as if titanous pressurizing weights were finally lifted off of his shoulders. He slumped in his chair, where his eyes shut briefly in a daydream - one where he would recollect what being with Grace in Hoenn would be like. There was no person with a personality like Grace, after all.

[May]

May Birch was a delightful young teenager. The outdoorsy type, if you will. May was one who was rather talented when it came to identifying Pokemon types. She had two versions of the Pokedex - the usual mobile version given out to lucky trainers, along with the very special desktop version, given to her by her father. Thus, on this sunny day in particular, she made strides to explore the program. May was still relatively knew to the Pokemon studying business, so she settled for nearby Pokemon more. Today, she told her father she would map out the Pokemon that inhabit one of the nearby routes. She was rather handy when it came to computer work, and did not find any trouble in creating a chart in which she could list, along with give terms for the population of each Pokemon on the route. She then sent the chart to her mobile Pokedex. Here, she let out a sigh of pride, closing the computer program.

She was one who kept with the trends as well. Although, she liked to be a bit experimental with her fashion. Denim shorts were a popular clothing piece, not in Hoenn, but rather in Unova. May didn't hesitate to craft a look with these type of shorts that featured flashes of Hoenn style as well, which resonated with her red summer top, and bike shorts. She was proud of her creativity. Trends set off like wildfire in Hoenn, and soon enough the girls at school followed up May's style. It didn't last long, though, with May eventually finding herself dropping out of school, to put more of her time into helping her dad's research.

It was when she just closed the program that a knock was heard on her opened bedroom door. "Hey, can I come in?" The male voice made May swing her head over, slightly startled from the suddenness of it. There stood Brendan, humbly fidgeting with his hat. "Hey, uh, am I disturbing you?" He uttered, a nervous look upon his face. Brendan wasn't one who handled girls correctly yet, whether he had a thing for them or not. The fact he wrongly assumed the neighbor would be male added to his nervousness, for the lines he had prepared were thrown out his mental window.

May could sense his humble nervousness and only smiled, adoring it. "Yes, of course!" She replied cheerfully, jumping up from her seat. "You must be the new neighbor, huh?" She held out a hand, for a handshake greeting.

Brendan almost breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she was very cheerful and friendly. He walked over to her with his hand outstretched as well, gently taking her hand and shaking it with his. "Nice to meet you. May, is it? That's what your mother said your name was, at least." He said, followed by a nervous laugh, where he took the hand he used to greet her and rubbed the back of his neck with it.

May crossed her arms, giggling a bit, for she could sense his nervousness. Though, the two both interpreted Brendan's nervousness different ways. "My name is most certainly May. Finally I can see someone who's about my age in this town. Maybe you'll be the first to hear about my dreams." She said with a laugh.

Brendan raised an eyebrow. He had eased up now, his hands digging into the pockets of his shorts despite this fact. "Dreams?" He gave a chuckle. "We all have some of those. I've always wanted to live up to my father as a trainer. He's always been telling me to challenge the Elite Four when I get older." Brendan had immediately worried that he shared too much to her, but waited for her response before making that conclusion.

Thankfully, May was rather amazed at how well-coached her new neighbor was. "I've heard about your dad before! He was a really good battler over in Unova, right?" Her eyes seemed to light up in excitement somewhat.

"Yeah, he was!" Brendan laughed nervously, petting the back of his neck once again. "Ah well, he is pretty good. He used to take me out onto random routes when I was young, and tell me what Pokemon would live there off the top of his head." He's pretty smart when it comes to Pokemon training.

May smiled, but a certain phrase came from Brendan's lips that enticed her brain, igniting her instincts. Her eyebrows raised, and her hands suddenly clasped Brendan's shoulders. "Oh! I'm sorry, Brendan! I promised my dad I'd go help him with something! Hopefully we can chat later!" With those words, she bolted out the bedroom, past her new neighbor.

[Brendan]

Brendan stood there rubbing the back of his neck once again. "Yeah, great..." He said aloud. Pointless indeed, for his new friends was far gone by now. He stomped his foot slightly on the ground. "You're an idiot, Brendan!" He shouted to himself. Nothing further sufficed from this, however, and Brendan stood alone, wondering where to go next. The silence of the bedroom reminded him too much of the truck's interior, the bare silence of it suffocating him, instilling fear into his very core. No further thoughts were made, and with

haste, he exited the room.

Of course, Hoenn is home to much more than towns. It is home to vast open landscapes, where plant life is allowed to strive under the riveting sunlight above. One of these routes of delightful outdoor scenery is where we shall arrive next. In a grass patch closest to Littleroot Town, we find Professor Birch on his daily routine of outdoor research. In his lab coat and cargo shorts, he examined the tall grass of the area, giving his messy brown hair a scratch every so often. Upon one of these occasional shiftings, Birch was given a violent tackle to the ground by a local route Pokemon. On his back upon the grassy ground, a Zigzagoon stood upon his chest, growling fiercely at him. The Zigzagoon had instilled fear into Birch, not just by it's actions, but by the foam that dripped from it's lips. Fearing a bite, Birch thrust the Pokemon off of him before making a dash to one of the nearby trees. Enraged, the Pokemon hungrily followed, growling at the Professor as he ran.

Despite his size, Professor Birch was somewhat athletic when needed. Perhaps it was out of fear. Regardless of how, Birch didn't think of what was required physically to scale the tree trunk a fair ways, far out of reach of the Zigzagoon on the ground. Carefully, he reached his hand down to his waist, where his satchel would be. Fear once again made itself prevalent when nothing was found. He gripped the tree trunk tight, fearing the worst if he fell.

And yonder up the route came the young Brendan, who Birch waved to from his perch in the tree. Amid the Zigzagoon's loud growls, Birch shouted to the young teen. "Hey, you there! Care to help? I dropped my bag over there!" He jabbed a finger at the spot where he was first tackled.

Brendan, quickly scanning between the two, ran off and grabbed the satchel, emptying the three PokeBalls that lay within it. Now was when he glanced quickly up, noticing the Zigzagoon's foaming mouth. Hurriedly, he clumsily juggled the three, panicking when trying to decide which to use. He soon decided upon one that felt filled with energy in his hand before releasing it. "Come on now! Let's try not to get bitten by that thing!"

Brendan scratched his head when the Treecko came out, standing within a fighting stance. "Uh… Darn." Brendan crossed his arms briefly, quickly jabbing a finger at his temple. What escaped his mind was what moves he would command this little green Pokemon. "Uh... Pound! Snivys use Pound! Let's use that!"

Thus, the Treecko lunged forward, plowing a hard fist into the foaming Pokemon's muzzle. The Pokemon cried out in pain, only growling in response. "Again!" Brendan called out, allowing his Treecko to attack once more. The small Treecko lunged once more, fiercely hitting the wild Pokemon twice more, the Zigzagoon soon whimpering sadly before it ran off into the woods.

Birch slid down his perch along the tree bark excitedly upon Brendan's victory, running over to the young teen as he caught his breath. "Thank you! That Pokemon really caught me off guard! We're lucky it decide not to bite either of us." Birch said this with his hands on his knees, recollecting his breath under Brendan's blank expression. Birch finally looked up, his eyebrows raised in surprise when he looked in Brendan's eyes. "Oh, hey! You must be Norman's son! I can see the glaring resemblance." He said with a chuckle.

Brendan laughed a bit, for the Treecko he just summoned climbed up onto his shoulder. "It's nice to meet you as well, Professor. My father has told me a lot about you, sir." He crossed his arms rather triumphantly, with the sense of being a trainer finally upon him, due to the Treecko humbly sitting on his shoulder.

Birch still looked around nervously for the Zigzagoon of prior. "Uh, well... Perhaps this setting isn't the best place to talk. Let's head on back to the lab, alright?" Birch anxiously scratched his messy hair once again, in fear of the Pokemon returning.

Brendan nodded. "Of course, Professor." He reached his left hand over to where the Treecko rested on his right shoulder, petting his hand gently on the Treecko's head. "I'd rather not hang around to get bitten by a Zigzagoon." He said with a nod, turning to head back the way he came.

[Cassandra]

Hoenn, like many places, is home to a variety of people. One of these people in question is the blonde woman that examined the walls of the eastern outer wall of Devon's Headquarters in Rustboro City. Her hand gently caressed the stone wall of the building, as if taking in what the texture of it was. "Devon... A corporation of high ambitions indeed." She was a delicate woman, who donned a black trench coat, the buttons done to cover her. Her blonde hair was shiny and wavy, glistening in the beaming sun. Her eyes were of a crystal blue, a sight dear to behold for any viewers fortunate enough. We shall deem this wonderful woman as "Cassandra", her given name.

Cassandra was one of humble research. Devon was one she deemed as the root of technology's prowess, and as such, she examined the building curiously. She found that the old complexion of the building's walls served as a stark contrast to the advanced prowess that lay within. A startling shout it erupted her moments of serenity. She flipped around, turning to face the voice that had yelled, "Hey! No loitering here!" A local officer in his blue uniform, of course.

Although, Cassandra seemed unfazed. She hastily walked over to the man, pointing a finger at the Devon building nearby once she was close. "Do you know how long ago this building was built?" She asked, crossing her arms professionally upon the question's utterings.

The officer thought a moment before responding to the woman, as he tapped a finger upon his temple impatiently. "About fifty years ago. Why's that miss?" The woman's swiftness to form when it came to her speech and actions rattled his soul to the core, intimidating him on a certain level.

"Ah. I figured as such. Thank you." She briskly walked off, towards the edge of town. She was a woman of few words indeed, for speech was something she avoided often unless she felt compelled to do so. She buried her hands in the pockets of her coat, despite the weather being a comfortable climate currently. The stars above lit a purple sky, as she walked past several storefronts. Cassandra was a researcher, and the stars sometimes, in her eyes, represent the racing thoughts of curiosity that rattled her brain. There were many things she wished to seek here in Hoenn, although it was hard to settle on one.

One of these storefronts was where she briefly stopped and watched the TV screens that sat humbly in the window. Cassandra leaned forward slightly, staring at the screen. A commercial had began to play, with a delicate tune in the background to match its message.

Images of a classroom played, with shots of students learning within it flashed as well, to advertise a school. "The Kanto Trainer's School! Sign up today!" The commercial's hired female voice uttered before cutting off. Cassandra smiled. It was little things like this that made her smile. She enjoyed that Hoenn kept its doors open, allowing the broadcasts of other regions to stretch over.

This is when she turned her body, taking a good view at what the rest of the town contained. She looked around casually, observing the sights of the many buildings. Many people still populated the streets, just returning home from work. She crossed her arms and grinned at the scenery, giving a happy sigh. Perhaps research wasn't everything. Perhaps... Life was something to enjoy.


	3. Business

[Brendan]

Admiring the trees had fulfilled Brendan's desires and illnesses. The beauty of Hoenn nature provided a stark, but welcome contrasts to the Castelia skyline. Although, staring into the dense leaves of Petalburg Forest for long enough had led him to hearken upon that very skyline, and the very essence it bore - bringing Grace back to his mind. Brendan had turned homesick.

Reminiscing was rather requiring of Brendan's attention and awareness, which Brendan himself had not realized during his leisurely stroll. He had daydreamed onwards, until an eventual and inevitable bump awoken his senses once more. He had bumped into a man, whom of which had boldly clothed himself within a solid teal suit - which Brendan, naturally, found rather odd. The man had fallen, while Brendan had not. The loyal Treecko upon Brendan's shoulder had instinctively gripped tighter upon the start of the incident, keeping it's own balance. In an ethically and mannerly fashion, Brendan hastily knelt down to help the man up to his feet. "Sorry about that, mister." Brendan assured formally. "I just have a lot of things on my mind at the moment…"

The man happily accepted Brendan's aid, rising to his feet shortly after. "My apologies, young man." The man spoke eloquently, with a slight accent that reminded Brendan of elder professional individuals from Castelia City. "You see, I work for the top-notch organization known by many Hoenn residents as Devon Corporation!" He stated with notable enthusiasm. "I am currently on a trip from Petalburg CIty, where I collected specially made Devon-branded goods from a local manufacturer. I was on my way over to Rustboro to deliver them, but I became sidetracked - I had just remembered that my daughter had asked me to catch a Shroomish for her this morning. Such an adorable Pokemon that is - fitting for her. Have you seen that Pokemon around here?"

Brendan casually folded his arms. "Well, I'm still new around here, so I'm not really familiar with the Devon Corporation just yet." Brendan replied with a laugh, scratching the back of his neck as he did so. "I do remember seeing a few Shroomish around here, though. I was thinking of catching one myself, actually - for my PokeDex."

Although the man was happy to hear that Shroomish inhabited the Petalburg Forest, he was rather astonished that Brendan was not aware of the Devon Corporation. "Oh, you are absolutely unprepared for the divine will of Devon technology then! We feature state of the art products in almost every market around the world! We even - " The man had begun ranting about Devon's economic and technological marvels until he was interrupted - by a rather brash man dressed in red behind him.

"Ah, for Arceus sake! I've been following your trail forever, waiting for the right moment to strike - but you had to just dawdle in Petalburg Forest forever, huh?" The red-hooded man shouted. "Don't make this any more difficult for me! Hand over those Devon goods or else!"

The Devon man was rather timid himself when it came to violence. He scurried behind Brendan, cowering from the red-hooded man. "Y-You're a trainer, aren't you? You've got to help me, right? Don't just hang me out to dry like this, man!"

Brendan, in a stoic manner, held a hand in the air - signaling the Devon man to cease a fear-induced rant before it was committed. "You want to rob someone, huh?" Brendan took a tone of anger and annoyance towards the red-hooded man. "Well, you have to get through me first."

The red-hooded man eyes Brendan carefully. "What, you're going to just get in my way? Messing with Team Magma isn't something you get away with easily, kid! I'll get rid of you quick, so men and the Devon can get down to business!" The Magma Grunt confidently released a Poochyena, which growled aggressively at Brendan.

"You don't scare me." Brendan chuckled. "There's plenty of punks like you in Unova." Brendan's Treecko then jumped down onto the grass in front of it's trainer, replicating the stance his trainer used - crossing his arms with glaring confidence. "Pound his face in, Treecko!" He order, his Treecko happily lunging forward with a clenched fist landing upon the Poochyena's jaw.

Although the Poochyena exchanged several blows with Brendan's Treecko, the Treecko delivered the final blow - a strong lunge with Pound that sent the Poochyena backwards a few feet. The Magma Grunt, stunned by the result, returned the Poochyena back to it's PokeBall. The Grunt gritted his teeth! "Gah! I lost to a kid! The others won't be happy to hear this… Actually…" He paused a moment. "I'm not done yet! Rustboro is still a place ripe for the taking!" The Grunt then hurried away up the forest path from the direction he came.

The Devon man gasped in relief. "Oh, you're a hero, trainer!" He exclaimed happily, comfortable enough with the Grunt gone that he resumed his original spot. "I must reward you for your heroics!" The man fumbled his hand within one of his inner suit pockets.

As the Devon man responded, Brendan calmly shook his head. He knelt down and withdrew a Potion from his bag, paying special attention to care for the Treecko's wounds - which were mostly bruises from the Poochyena's tackles. "I don't need a reward, sir. I'm just doing what I did while growing up." Brendan casually uttered, trying to remain humble. He rose once he finished spraying the Potion on Treecko's wounds - with Treecko climbing back on to his shoulder. Brendan slipped the empty Potion bottle back in his bag for the moment.

"Oh no, I insist! Please, accept one of these custom made Devon PokeBalls." The man fished the PokeBall in question out of his pocket, holding it out to Brendan. Although it seemed like a normal Great Ball upon first glance, further inspection showed that it was painted a pearly teal instead of the usual blue. The arches of red were instead painted black, with gold accents complementing it with a bright sheen.

Brendan accepted this gift, examining the ball briefly. He twirled it in his palm, letting it glisten it's pearly colors in the sunlight. He did this a few moments before placing it within his bag. "Thank you very much, sir. I appreciate it."

The man sighed happily, still with a sense of relief from the prior incident. Then - the sense of danger dawned on him once more. "Didn't that man in the red say something about Rustboro City?" The man looked to Brendan for confirmation, unable to remember himself.

Brendan hesitated a moment, attempting to remember the Magma Grunt's rant. The Grunt did mention Rustboro somewhere in his excessive speech. Brendan simply nodded, once he was able to recall the fact. He looked to the man curiously for a response.

The man went into a panic once again. "Oh no, it's a crisis! I have to warn the others at the company!" The man exclaimed. He paid no further attention to Brendan - instead running off down the path, in the same direction the Magma Grunt had ran not long prior.

Brendan sighed and shook his head once more, blinking a few times in disbelief. He removed his hat a moment, and scratched his black, messy, hair. He fitted the hat back on before he playfully scratched the head of his Treecko - the Pokemon crying out happily in glee. "Hoenn is weird… right, bud?"

[Cassandra]

Cassandra looked over her shoulder briefly before she went down the small Rustboro City alleyway under the dark of night - the moon an ominous light above her. The alleyway remained rather secluded, a gritty spectacle and contrast from the normal bustle of Rustboro City. It was a gritty pathway that led to a dead-end, where a large iron door rested at the end. The blonde woman walked to this door, the clack sound of her shoes echoing through the alley walls. She knocked on this iron door a few times with the blunt of a clenched fist, to notify the person behind it. The small hatch at the top of the door slid open - a pair of eyes staring through it into her own. "Authorized personnel only." A deep male voice said from behind the iron door.

The woman was one of fear and paranoia at the moment. She looked over her shoulder a few times before she looked back at the man's eyes. "Gladius, Deus, Ignis." She hushedly answered - making sure to look over her shoulder a few more times in order to reassure herself of seclusion.

"Cassandra… Good to see you again." The voice boomed once more, before the clanging of iron was heard when the door was opened by the man - with Cassandra swiftly stepping inside. The door slammed shut behind her, with the locks promptly flicked into place by the man that let her in. The man who had allowed her to enter was never seen - he wore a black hood that covered most of his face, with black robes that covered the majority of his body from any view - a steep contrast from Cassandra's simple black trench coat. Cassandra knew the procedure, however. She was not allowed to loiter in the entrance area. She went straight down the limestone set of stairs that led down into the lower level of the building. The stairs were extraneous, curving in a downwards spiral, in Victorian style - before reaching a basement area, where the small amount of people in the room seemed rather pleased to witness Cassandra's arrival. One in particular, a man in the corner of the room - beckoned Cassandra over once she arrived. He stood over a desk with a computer upon it - examining the screen eloquently. "Over here, Cass. Let's hear what you have found so far." The caller was one of professional dress - clad in a black jacket that resembled the shade of his slicked-back hair.

Naturally, Cassandra walked over to the man. "Hello Samuel. How are things coming along around here? It's a different world up there, you know…"

Samuel, a man with spectacles that covered his green eyes - cleared his throat before issuing a response to the woman. He sighed, looking in Cassandra's clear blue eyes in turn. "We've been after Devon for ages now, Cass. The Order has never been able to accomplish a victory against them, unfortunately - but we're always so close!" Samuel held two fingers close together to imitate the margin of error The Order has had. "So tantalizingly close!"

Cassandra smiled. "That's a Tyronisius Norlander quote. I know my history too, Sam." She sighed herself, placing her hands on her waist. "You're right on, though, Sam. When we take down that old building in the name of The Order, we'll put that technology to much better use than they ever will. While out there scouting, I found that the Devon Headquarters is within a rather old structure. Perhaps old enough to hold special artifacts within it's lower levels, which have stood there for a long time…"

The man raised his eyebrows. "Could it be a site for - " He began to speak, although Cassandra waved a hand dismissively to break the man's train of thought.

"Not just yet, Sam. We need much more info before we deem a move against the building's populace as our best objective. Lady Maria would not approve of an unwarranted assault on what is deemed by the locals as a civilian building. Although, I do believe some of the locals are in Devon's pockets themselves." Cassandra stated, elegantly folding her arms in thought.

"You've always been a forward-thinking person, Cass." Samuel replied with a grin. "Did you find anything else of interest while out there?" He asked in curiousity.

Cassandra hesitated, pondering the recent events and memories within the town. "I spotted this strange man in red. He had this notable hood over his head. I recall seeing him loitering around the Devon Headquarters, possibly on his own directive. There was a black logo on his chest, which makes me assume he hails to another organization of their own. None we have any knowledge of, though. Even if we deliberated over it, I doubt they are a threat to our goals. Although, I'll make due haste to keep an eye upon their actions."

"Interesting. We shall keep a tab on these "red-hoods" just in case. You should get your rest, though, Cass. We need you back out there soon. Who knows what Devon could do without your scouting?" Samuel replied.

"Of course. You have a good evening, Sam." She said with a sigh, walking to wander about the rest of The Order's small basement lair. She exchanged greetings with several of her fellow members before parting. She went to another set of limestone stairs in the back of the room - which led down to a small dark hallway, with doors on either side. She walked to the end of the hallway and entered a door on her right, making sure to shut the door behind her. A Murkrow, owned by Cassandra herself, squawked happily when he witnessed her enter. The Murkrow sat peacefully upon a bookshelf, which rested against the room's right wall. The room featured a short bed in the center of the room, which was barely raised off of the floor. In the corner was a desk - with a painted glass lamp that dimly lit the room. Cassandra took her place at the desk, examining the contents upon it a moment. A small hardcover book sat there, which she picked up and observed briefly.

"Cynthia's Sonnets... " She said aloud with a sigh, running her hand over the cover art of the Sinnoh Champion Cynthia herself. Cassandra closed her eyes and let out another sigh, with a longer exhale this time around - as if she wished to remove a hearkening through releasing breath. "I have to ask you about those poems one day, sis…"


End file.
